RBST Scotland is part of the Rare Breeds Survival Trust regional Support Groups. We coordinate and unify the voice of native breeds across Scotland.
The year 2023 was a landmark one for RBST in Scotland. It saw for the first time the charity having a legal presence with a registration with OSCR, the Scottish Charity Regulator, recognising the amount of work being done in Scotland to promote rare and native breeds of farm livestock. The second major factor in the year was that it represented the 50th Anniversary of the formation of RBST. RBST Scotland was successful in creating a year of activity which generated multiple opportunities to influence, promote and celebrate our Breeds. We started with our flagship event which was held at Bowhouse in Fife. The RBST Scotland Spring Conference was a lively discussion and showcase for sustainable and regenerative farming in Scotland. It certainly met its aim to provide the Scottish agricultural industry, policy makers, influencers and supporters with a thought-provoking event that will offer a challenge to the established view of the future of Farming in Scotland and provide a new perspective on how we can feed the country and meet our responsibilities to our land, our biodiversity and to the future including the attainment of our net zero targets.
RBST Scotland Committee
Chair – Rebecca McLellan
Following a 30-year City career in London specialising in finance marketing and communication, in 2019 Rebecca, her husband Hamish and son Gus moved back to Dumfries and Galloway to run Hamish’s family farm. A member of the RBST since 2019, Rebecca was elected Chair of RBST Scotland Support Group in February 2025.
Rebecca keeps local native Castlemilk Moorit sheep at her farm near Rockcliffe, an ‘At Risk’ breed that originated at the Castlemilk Estate in Dumfriesshire in the early 1900s. The flock is the centrepiece of Rebecca’s wool enterprise, Chocflock, a ‘digital but farm-gate’ business designing, making and selling high-end, hand-crafted artisan and hand-woven fabric to an international customer base along with knitting yarn, kits and needlepoint tapestry.
Rebecca also serves as a non-executive director on the board of abrdn New India plc a listed investment trust.
Secretary – Grant Reid
Being a townie originally from Dundee, Grant studied Agriculture at SRUC in Aberdeen and that’s where his love of native and rare breeds started.
An agronomist by trade during the day, he lives in Angus with his partner Nicki where they have two small flocks of sheep – Oxford Downs and Ryelands. They also have some call ducks, a couple of dogs, a cat and a couple of hives of bees. Their plan is to add to the poultry side of the menagerie.
Originally a member of the Caley Support Group, Grant has been a member of the RBST for more than 10 years. He has also volunteered on the RBST stand at various shows over the years and served as the Caledonian Group Secretary. When RBST Scotland SG was formed in 2023, he volunteered to become the group’s first Secretary.
Grant continues to help at shows where it’s always good to catch up with other RBST members but also speaking to folk. Speaking to the public and members of the rural industries on the benefits of keeping rare and native breeds and how they could help them and their businesses.
Treasurer – Moyra Simpson
RBST Scottish Coordinator – Alice Lennox
Alice grew up on Doonies Rare Breeds Farm, one of the RBST Approved Conservation Farm Parks in Scotland. She had volunteered for the RBST since 2013, in which she held the positions of secretary and treasurer within the former RBST Northern Scotland Support Group.
Alice assisted in breeding important bloodlines of UK Native breeds of livestock and equines at Doonies Farm as well managing the educational and public face of the family business for a number of years.
Latterly, Alice worked for the Scottish Government as an Agricultural Officer before she took on her role as the Scottish Coordinator for the RBST.
Facebook: RBST Scotland
X: @rbstscotland